WHAT IS STEWARDHSIP? /¿QUE ES LA MAYORDOMIA?

WHAT IS STEWARDHSIP?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church uses the words “steward” and “stewardship” in several ways: No. 859, “[The Apostles are] ‘stewards of the mysteries of God’”; 893, “The bishop is the steward of the grace”; 952, “A Christian is a steward of the Lord’s goods”; 1117, “The Church . . . is the faithful steward of God’s mysteries”; 2238, “God has made [those in authority] stewards of his gifts”; 2280, “We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us”; and Nos. 373, 2042, 2404, 2417 and 2457 all deal with taking care of the planet as entrusted by God to man. Merriam-Webster defines stewardship as: “The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.”

When it comes to stewardship, then, it would be wise for us to remember that no one is an absolute owner of anything, not even his or her own self. Everything we have in life comes from God, so everything is a blessing and everything is on loan. We are stewards of temporal realities: our time, our talent, and our treasure.

A simple rule of thumb could be helpful: the more you give, the happier you are; the more you serve, the holier you become.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites were commanded by God to tithe — that is, to give 10 percent of their earnings to God for the service of the Temple. I encourage all people to follow this blessed custom, and I encourage parents to train their children in the practice of tithing from a very young age. The reality is simple: you cannot out-give God. You cannot out-do God in generosity.

There are many inspiring stories of generosity in the New Testament: the young boy who gave everything he had (five loaves and two fishes), thereby jeopardizing his family’s welfare for the day. With that donation Jesus worked a grand miracle and fed thousands of hungry souls. At the end of the day, the boy went home with a hundred times more than he had given. Then there’s the story of the woman who had a jar of precious ointment, worth close to $15,000 in today’s currency, and she splurged and used it all to anoint Jesus. The only one who complained was Judas.

When we give sacrificially, our joy increases and our freedom expands. The less you have, the fewer worries you experience. In fact, that’s the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount: Jesus teaches us to trust in God, not in mammon, and not to worry.
So when it comes to your time, try to give 10 percent of it to God directly each day. When it comes to treasure, try to give 10 percent of it to God each year. When it comes to talent, try to use at least 10 percent in the direct service of God and His holy Church. Above all, try to give 100 percent of yourself to God because everything we do can and should be for the glory of God. You will be very happy, very free and very blessed if you do so.